Specific Race Questions...

[AllezGirl]

80 women racers in just one club? WOW That's really impressive! There aren't many more licensed women in the whole state of PA! But the SE PA region also compromises the MD and NJ riders, so we have a few more. But still, 30 is a good field, and I've been in races as small as 3...and they were opens. Crits are easier to get two races in, usually a 1/2/3 and a 4 or 3/4. What few road races we have for women are usually an open, but we can usually get 4's broken out. We are working on it, but it's an uphill battle! And this is an area ripe of racing!

My team does close it's roster in October. I'm not sure if other teams in this area do that. But even so, we're all tight. If an unattached girl shows up and is friendly, she'll be welcomed! It could work to your advantage, you'll have the chance to meet women that you gel with and that will be the team you join. That's the one good thing about womens racing vs. men. There's no proving ground. If you are enthusiastic, and want to race your bike, you'll be welcomed to the ranks!

[AllezGirl]

A funny, hah hah moment. The 3rd ever crit I was going to do there were just two of us pre-reg. Me, and a former PRO. It was canceled, much to my chagrin. The way I saw it, she could have lapped me three times, but I'd still podium 2nd to a champion!

[smilingcat]

A funny, hah hah moment. The 3rd ever crit I was going to do there were just two of us pre-reg. Me, and a former PRO. It was canceled, much to my chagrin. The way I saw it, she could have lapped me three times, but I'd still podium 2nd to a champion!

Funny but sad.

[BalaRoja]

Stunning to hear some of these comments. I mean it is great that the sport is now attracting so many women. Excellent for the long term prospects & viability.

Still, considering the biggest field sizes I will see this year are ~20 - and that's when they combine the all the women across all cat's - hearing of 40, 50+ is incredible!

Glad it is thriving, at least elsewhere :-)

[tangentgirl]

Nothing new on race day!

^^I'm assuming that bit of triathlon logic would apply here as well. Don't eat anything you've never eaten, don't wear anything you haven't worn riding(might be hard if a group hands you a whole kit that day, maybe take that with a grain of salt), don't put brand new tires on your bike the night before, don't eat a new kind of gel or bar or breakfast, don't drink an new kind of drink, all that.

Good luck! Have fun!

[Eden]

Stunning to hear some of these comments. I mean it is great that the sport is now attracting so many women. Excellent for the long term prospects & viability.

Still, considering the biggest field sizes I will see this year are ~20 - and that's when they combine the all the women across all cat's - hearing of 40, 50+ is incredible!

Glad it is thriving, at least elsewhere :-)

Its a bit of a drive, but if you ever get the opportunity you should wander up north for a race or two. The smaller Oregon races probably won't have quite as large fields, but the stage races often do (my favorite is Elkhorn, Baker City Oregon, in June - there are always some California gals there). If you want to plan for next year and go for our most popular race you could try for Walla Walla - the cat 4 field is capped at 50 and it filled up within several hours of registration opening this year! - there's even 25 women wait listed. (there are also 39 3's and 20 1-2's registered so far as well, and I'm sure there will be more eventually, but people aren't in such a rush to register because higher cat fields are allowed to be larger [70 riders] and there still are fewer of us, so they don't fill up so quickly)

[BalaRoja]

Its a bit of a drive, but if you ever get the opportunity you should wander up north for a race or two. The smaller Oregon races probably won't have quite as large fields, but the stage races often do (my favorite is Elkhorn, Baker City Oregon, in June - there are always some California gals there). If you want to plan for next year and go for our most popular race you could try for Walla Walla - the cat 4 field is capped at 50 and it filled up within several hours of registration opening this year! - there's even 25 women wait listed. (there are also 39 3's and 20 1-2's registered so far as well, and I'm sure there will be more eventually, but people aren't in such a rush to register because higher cat fields are allowed to be larger [70 riders] and there still are fewer of us, so they don't fill up so quickly)

That would be fun :-)

I've heard a lot about some races in Oregon and it is obvious you have the numbers to make for interesting fields. I mean wait lists? That's what I call thriving!

Personally I'd rather compete in a field of 40 women than in the 10 or so I will be riding with. There's such a broad range of fitness at the entry level & especially when you only have a dozen or so people.

I'm not living in Northern Cal anymore though so lots of travel would be involved. Moving away has made me realize just how great and well organized women's cycling was there as compared to other places. Things get done so, so differently here - or more accurately, they don't get done! I've had to temper down my expectations....way down.

Two other things just came to mind....

Eden, is there a velodrome in Oregon? I love track riding

Tangentgirl's post about sticking with your nutrition routine makes sense but it made me ponder something. Do most/all road races have feed zones? The flyer doesn't mention any so I'm assuming I ought my own food/fuel. I haven't ever used gels, using 'real food' instead, so perhaps I ought to start experimenting with them now.

[aicabsolut]

Most cat 4 races do not have feed zones. No feeding in crits and circuit races except pro-1, if that, I think. Road races may have a feed zone but only for races over x number of laps (which a cat 4 women only field may not do). If you do get a feed zone, it will be spelled out on the flyer as for location and which laps it is open. Unless you have a feeder there with you, then you'll need to figure out a way to get through it on your own anyway. Gels and chews are a pretty easy way to get quickly absorbed sugars into you in a small amount of jersey space. You can also put a spare bottle in your jersey. Discards (bottles only, not trash) can be made in a feed zone if there is one regardless of whether you take up a feed. Just go back and try to find your bottle later if no one is there with you.